Friday, January 8, 2016

[Edit 1/8/17 Jini Beauty Box has become bi-monthly, meaning you recieve a box every other month. You can basically think of it as getting the amount you would get in two boxes, but every other month. More details below]
[Edit 5/11: All of my Jini Beauty Box reviews can be found here]

New Asian beauty subscription boxes have been launching left and right lately. After the newly-launched Jini Beauty Box was brought to my attention by the gals at BeautyandtheCat, I decided to sign up for the box and be a bit of a guinea pig, if you will. As of the writing of this post, there's not very much information available on this box (hence the guinea pig-ing), but I wanted to go ahead and sum up what I've been able to find out so far in hopes of helping anyone else who's looking for info on this box. And just to let you know, I'm not affiliated with this company in any way, and I paid for the box with my own money. I'll be doing a review of the box once it arrives, so stay tuned for that. All of my Jini Beauty Box reviews are available at the link above! I haven't reviewed any of the bi-monthly boxes yet, but will do so starting with the Jan/Feb 2017 box.

What is it?

A bi-monthly subscription box centered around Korean beauty products, and curated to address the needs of different skin types. Every other month, subscribers receive a box of 6-8 full size and deluxe sample products, 2 sheet masks, and a few free samples. Boxes have typically included 1 or 2 makeup items as well, which I've really enjoyed.

Subscribers choose from one of four boxes, each geared toward a different skin type. There are no quizzes to take, you just choose the box you think will suit you the best. You're also able to change which skin type you're subscribed to from month to month. So, for example, I chose to subscribe to the Normal/Combination box because my skin is combo most of the year, and even though I have acne, I find most acne products to be too drying for my skin. Let's say that I get my box and I find that the products aren't quite cutting it because my skin is throwing a weather-induced tantrum and needs more hydrating products. I could go into my account settings and switch my skin type to Dry/Mature (I'll show you how to do this later), then the next shipment I would receive a box with products aimed at treating dry/mature skin. I've been very happy with the normal/combo box, so I haven't felt the need to try any of the other skin types, but I love knowing that I have the option.

If you're concerned about ingredients, Jini Beauty Box also features a list of ingredients for the products in every box, which can be found here.

Screenshot of the subscription page on jinibeauty.com *Note* This screenshot reflects the old prices, NOT the bi-monthly prices.

How much does it cost?

A bi-monthly subscription is $44.95 billed on the 14th of every other month. (ex. January, then March)

6-month (3 box) pre-pay is $129.95
12-month (6 box) pre-pay is 249.95

Subscriptions automatically renew unless you cancel or skip before the 14th of the billing month. So if you received the Jan/Feb box but wanted to skip the March/April box, you would need to skip before the 14th of March.

Shipping is free in the US, but some states, such as New Jersey, may be subject to sales tax. I live in Nevada and wasn't charged sales tax on my order.

Where does it ship to?

At this time, US and Canada (shipping is free in the US, $8 in Canada)

When does it ship?

According to the jinibeauty.com FAQ, boxes will ship around the 5th of the 2nd month. For example, for the January/February box, you would be billed on the 14th of January, then your box would ship around the 5th of February. Typically, my boxes have arrived within 2-3 of shipping.

How hard is it to cancel?

Super easy. It's part of why I was willing to take a chance on a brand new box. From the subscription page, click on your name in the top right corner, then click 'My Account'. This will take you to a page where you'll be able to see all of your account info and settings. There will be a box on the left-hand side labeled 'Your Subscription(s)', click the large purple button that says 'Edit'. On the next page, you'll see something that looks like this:

Screenshot from the jinibeauty.com subscription settings page. *NOTE* this screenshot reflects the old prices, not the bi-monthly prices.

From this page, you can choose to skip your next renewal (top right), change your skin type, change your subscription term, or cancel your subscription altogether. Click 'change' to save any changes you make. I love that this sub doesn't require you to make an awkward/inconvenient phone call to cancel, and even better, you're able to skip a month without having to go through the constant subscribe/unsubscribe cycle (Birchbox anyone?? hehe). There's no limit to how many times you can skip, either.

How is the bi-monthly subscription different from the old Jini Beauty Box?

The bi-monthly subscription is basically 2 boxes rolled into one, so you're actually getting more products for less money than before. The monthly boxes were $24.95, so 2 months would have been $49.90. The bi-monthly boxes are $44.95, so you're actually saving $4.95.

I'll admit, I was skeptical when Jini Beauty Box switched to a bi-monthly format because I've never really been a fan of that type of subscription. However, the September/October boxes was one of the best boxes ever, so after giving it a try, I really think it's worth the wait. Sunny's thoughtful curation really shines through, and some of the products I've received in these boxes have become beloved favorites. I've been very happy with these boxes and would highly recommend it if you're looking for an asian beauty box that gives a variety of products. Personally, I get bored with boxes that are purely sheet masks, so Jini has been perfect for me. I've been a subscriber for a year now (skipped a few boxes here and there, but I've never once wanted to cancel) so I can confidently say that I love this box and I think it's one of the best AB beauty boxes on the market in terms of quality and value.

I think I've answered the most pressing questions, but if you want to learn more about Jini Beauty, here are a few useful links:

The above links are referral links. Making a purchase through these links may mean that I receive a small reward, such as points toward a future purchase, at no cost to you. If you choose to use any of these links- thanks so much! I really appreciate it!